Study on the Fingerprint and Atmospheric Activity of Volatile Organic Compounds from Typical Industrial Emissions

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 16;20(4):3517. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043517.

Abstract

China is prone to severe surface ozone pollution in summer, so it is very important to understand the source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to control ozone formation. In this work, the emission characteristics of 91 VOC components from the plastic products industry, packaging and printing industries, printing ink industry, furniture manufacturing and vehicle manufacturing industries were studied. The results show that there are significant differences between these sources, and for the plastic products industry, alkanes (48%) are the most abundant VOCs. The main emission species in the packaging and printing industry are OVOCs (36%) and alkanes (34%). The proportion of OVOCs in the printing ink (73%) and furniture manufacturing industries (49%) is dominated by VOC emissions; aromatic hydrocarbons (33%), alkanes (33%), and OVOCs (17%) are the main emission species in the vehicle manufacturing industry. At the same time, the ozone generation potential (OFP) and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOA) of anthropogenic VOC emissions were evaluated, and the top 10 contributors to OFP and SOA were identified. Toluene, o-xylene, and m-xylene had a significant tendency to form OFP or SOA. Then, a health risk assessment of VOC components was carried out. These data can supplement the existing VOC emission characteristics of anthropogenic emissions, thus enriching the research progress of VOC emission sources.

Keywords: VOCs; emissions; ozone formation potential (OFP); secondary organic aerosol potential (SOA); source profiles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants* / analysis
  • Alkanes
  • China
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Ozone* / analysis
  • Vehicle Emissions / analysis
  • Volatile Organic Compounds* / analysis

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • Ozone
  • Alkanes
  • Vehicle Emissions

Grants and funding

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41905108) and the National research program for key issues in air pollution control (No: DQ GG0532).